After losing the latest round in a long battle for planning permission for a new store on the outskirts of Banbridge, top UK food retailer, Tesco has bowed to pressure and is expanding on its existing in-town site - but hasn't given up on the second option.

It was granted planning permission in October 2005 to extend its existing store at Castlewellan Road to just under 60,000 square feet.

Now, instead of the failed plan to open a 130,000 sq ft store at Bridgewater Retail Park, beside The Outlet on the main Dublin route from south Down, Tesco is now growing in Co Down at the existing facility.

A contractor is on site for the major foodstore extension that will triple the available floorspace as well as add a new petrol forecourt to its Banbridge store.

The Patton Group is constructing the two-storey extension to the existing Tesco, adding a store extension to the rear as well as undertaking the replacement petrol filling station project at Castlewellan Road.

Commenting in April this year, Rosin McAleenan President of Banbridge Chamber of Commerce said: "We are very proud of Banbridge as possibly 'the best town in Northern Ireland', with a very wide range of local and national retailers working together to produce an excellent shopping experience.

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"An 80,000 sq ft Tesco would be a tremendous addition to Banbridge, providing much needed retail and construction jobs and an improved retail offering from the UK's number one retailer.

"So why not simply exercise the original planning permission (also coincidentally to 80,000 sq ft), and extend the existing store, thus providing new jobs, while protecting those existing in the town at the same time.

"As planning permission is already in place this extension could start work today creating jobs and rates for the whole town immediately," she said, four months ago, a view that has now been heeded.

The additional floor area at Tesco will account for some 2,659 square metres, bringing the new, total overall floor area to 7,717 square metres - or around 80,000 sq ft.

In addition there will be additional car parking and landscaping and associated site development works.

However, the supermarket hasn't given up on the out-of-town option and is pressing ahead with a smaller, revised plan for the Bridgewater Park site.

Colin Hampsey, Corporate Affairs Manager for Tesco, said: "We are working hard planning new stores in various sites across Northern Ireland, however, we haven't forgotten our established stores that continue to provide excellent service to their communities.

"We are continually reviewing these and listening to feedback about how we can improve them for our customers and staff.

"A benefit of this refurbishment is that it provides employment for the construction industry and around 50 people will be involved from this sector.

"The store on Castlewellan Road has been trading for more than ten years and we are committed to our presence here as well as our (new) proposals for an 80,000 square feet store at Bridgewater Park.

"This significant modernisation of the store will see a complete overhaul of the existing store, with new exciting ranges, a new phone shop, brand new fresh food counters, self service checkouts, to name but a few of the new additions - all designed to enhance the customer experience in store."

The architect for the expansion is the Development Planning Partnership and the mechanical subcontractor is MM Building Services.

See: Banbridge Wants Tesco Project 'In Town'

(BMcC)